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O. SPIRO. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 322,989. P7atented July 28, 1885.

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(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. SPIRO.

7 TYPE} WRITING MACHINE. No. 322,989. Patented July 28, 1885.

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' ilNr-rn CHARLES SPIRO, OFNEVV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,989, dated July 28, 1885.

Application filed April 1, 1884. (No model.) Patented in England November 8, 1884, No. 14,768; in Germany November 9, 1884, and in France March 3, 1885, No. 165,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SPrRo, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-\Vriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention belongs to that class of machines employing a rotary type-Wheel having types on its periphery, which is revolved by hand to bring the desired type into position, and then depressed against the paper to print the selected letter.

In my improved machine I provide the typewhecl with an elongated central or axial handle, which is revolved or twirled directly by the fingers to bring the desired letter to the printing-point, and'by which the wheel may be also raised or depressed to effect the printing of the desired letter. This type-wheel is provided on its periphery with a series of pins or stops of variable depth or length, corresponding to the types and varying in relation to the variable widths of the said types, for the purpose of regulating the stroke of the feed-pawl or feed devices which advance the paper-carriage, whereby a variable feed is produced proportioned .to the width of the letter printed. This type-wheel, with its variable stops, is mounted on theend of a depressible lever, which is pivoted on the fixed frame of the machine above the paper-carriage. The carriage is provided with a paperroller, and is arranged to move longitudinally step by step beneath the type-wheel. The type-wheel revolves in a plane transverse to the feed-motion of the paper-carriage and its roller, and with its axis parallel to the axis of the roller, and the depressible lever carrying the type-wheel engages a pawl-lever carrying a pawl which engages a rack on the carriage, so that at each depression of the typewheel the carriage is advanced at right angles to the plane in which the type-wheel revolves a distance proportionate to the letter printed. My invention therefore consists, mainly, in the combination and arrangement of parts above outlined, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 gives a side elevation of my improved machine, and Fig. 2 a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the slide or frame of the paper-carriage and its feed-rack removed from the machine. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine, and Fig. 5 a rear cross-section on line :0 w of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the type and index wheels with their operating-handle and mounting-lever removed from the machine. Fig. 7 is an enlarged edge view of the type-wheel, showing the arrangement of the letters and variable feed-stop pins thereon.

In the original drawings the machine is shown two-thirds of the full size; and referring to Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, a a indicates the base of the machine, which is preferably made of cast-iron of oblong shape, and provided with the short feet I) on which the machine rests when placed on the table. On the top of the base and running the full length thereof dovetailed ways a c are formed, as shown best in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, in which is fitted the dovtailed base of the paper carriage or slide d d, which is capable of moving the whole length of the ways and of being bodily withdrawn or removed from either end thereof, as

will be understood. From the back end of the base an overhanging frame or arm, f f, arises and curves over the carriage, as shown, and on the top of this arm, at the back end, is

pivoted the vibrating depressible rod or lever g on which the type-wheel h is mounted, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Now, in the frame of the carriage d is mounted the paperroller 6, around which the paper on which the characters are to be printed is passed in the usual manner, this roller being disposed longitudinally in the carriage with its axis in line with the lever and axis of the type-wheel, so

that the bottom of the type-wheel, which is its 2, and 3. On the opposite side of the carriage a small roller, j, is mounted in springbearings It, so as to be pressed up to the main roller 6, and the paper sheet is passed around the roller 6, under the roller j and rack z, and is thus held in position by the roller j in the usual manner. The axis of the roller is provided with the milled knob Z, and with a ratchet wheel, a, engaged by the pawl 1 whereby the roller may be positivelyrevolved to advance the paper the desired space of one or more lines. The rotary motion of the roller 6 as above described gives, of course, the feed or space for successive lines, whereasth'e longitudinal motion of the carriage gives the space or feed for successive letters in the usual manner, as will be comprehended.

The general construction of the paper-carriage being now detailed,we will return to the type-wheel and its adjuncts. Referring,therefore, to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the lever g is formed with a rim or shoulder, 9, near its front end, against which alettered and notched disk, n, abuts, which disk may be termed the locking or index wheel. This indexwheel is formed with a hub, n, over which the type-wheel fits, and abuts closely against the front side of the index-wheel, and is rotatively engaged with the index-wheel by apin, n which projects from one through the other, as shown. From the hub of the index-wheel a long slender sleeve, m, projects over the outer end of the rod 9, and a nut, m, screwed on the sleeve holds the type-wheel, firmly up to the index-wheel, as shown, while a small nut, m screwed on the end of the rod 9, holds the sleeve and its attachments thereon. Now, the sleeve m is roughened or knurled and serves as a central or axial handle, whereby the type and index wheels may be freely rotated on the outer end of the rod 9, so as to bring any desired character in position to the bottom or printing-point of the wheel,.and when so brought the handle is depressed, so as to bring the type down on the paper upon the roller e below, and thus print the desired character thereon, as shown-in Fig. 5. A spring, 0, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 5,) between the top of the arm f and the lever tends constantly to raise up the lever and type-wheel after each depression, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and thus keep the type, when lifted, free of the paper on the carriage and ready to be turned around to the proper position for the next letter, as will be understood.

The types of the type-wheel may be inked by one or more ink-rollers, p, rolling thereon; or an ink-ribbon may be used between the type-wheel and paper, through which the impression of the type will be pressed, as is commonly used in similar machines; but I prefer the ink-rollers. Itwill therefore be now observed that in this machine the typewheel is operated by seizing the sleeve or handle m between the thumb and finger, and revolving or twirling the same back or forth so as to bring the desired character to the printing position, and then depressing the handle, and immediately afterward allowing the same to rise, and twirling the wheel around to the neXt character, and so on.

Means are provided to indicate to the eye and ear ofv the operator, when twirling the handle, the position of the letter when at the printing position, and for this purpose I prefer to letter both the front side of the typewheel h and the periphery of the index-wheel n. An index-point, p, from the bearing of the ink'roller,points to the letters on the front 'of the wheel, and a second indexpoint, r, ex-

tending from the side of the lever 9, points to the letters on the periphery of the indexwheel, so that when the wheel is turned so that the index-points are over any particular indeX-letter, the type of the same letter will be at the bottom of the type-wheel ready for printing. By means, therefore, of the front and side indicators, as described, the machine may be operated by viewing it from the front or side, as will be readily understood, and it will be noted that the side opposite to that which is shown in Fig. 1 is the reading or front side of the machine.

The index-wheel n has a slotted and notched rim, as shown best in Fig. 5, the notches being on the interior of the rim, at the base of the slots, so that the rim forms a hollow or internal ratchet or click wheel, divided up into teeth corresponding to the number of letters or characters used. Now,on the forward hearing or guide, f, of the lever g is arranged a tooth or projection, 50, which rises up into the notched rim of the index-wheel,and has a beveled tip corresponding with the beveled notches in the said rim, and when the typewheel is depressed to make the impression the beveled tooth will engage one of the notches and enter one of the slots of the rim, and thus hold the type-wheel firmly from turning while making the impression; and it is obvious that the beveled form of the tooth and the notches will insure the type being brought. to the true central printing position y when the wheel is depressed, and obviate the necessity of absolute accuracy in the twirling of the type'wheel to the exact indicated position of the selected character, while the length of the slots will allow the wheel more or less downward play on being pressed to the paper without altering the engagement of the locking-tooth with the slot.

In-order to indicate to the ear the position of the letters as they pass into the printingposition, the side index-spring, r, snaps into the slots on the side of the index-wheel, and thus indicates audibly when the desired type is turned into the correct position for printing, and will thus materially assist the action of the operator.

Now, the up-and-down movements of the handle at and type-wheel in making the impressions work a feed-pawl, g, on the ratchetrack of the carriage, which feeds the carriage along step by step for each successive letter, and these steps are made of variable lengths, as before stated, to correspond to the width of the letters printed, which is a great advantage. The feed-pawl q is pivoted on the lower arm IIO of an elbow lever, s, which lever is pivoted on the front end of the frame f, and the upper arm of the lever is provided with a knob, 8, whereby it may be raised when desired to lift the pawl out of engagement, and thus permit the carriage to be freely movedback or forth to any desired position, and when the knob is released the lever-and pawl will fall back into their positions of engagement. The upper arm of the lever s is connected by a spring, t, with a short arm, 15, projecting from the de pressible rod g, so that hence when the rod 9, with the type-wheel, &c., is depressed to print a letter, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, the long arm of the lever s will fall by its own weight, and will also be drawn down elastically by the pull of the spring 15, and the pawl q will therefore slip back over the teeth of the feed-rack, whereas when the rod g,with the typewheel, &c., is allowed to rise, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the lever s will be swayed in the opposite direction, and the pawl q moved forward to engage with the teeth of the feedrack, and thus feed the carriage forward one step. Now, the back movement of the lever s and pawl q is limited by a sliding link, a, connected with the lever s, which link will strike against the tip of one or other of a series of pins, 2;, projecting from the typewheel, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 7,wl1ereby the feed is caused to vary in proportion to the width of the letters. This will be better understood by referring first to Fig. 7, where it will be seen that the types or letters on the type-wheel are so arranged that their front edges are all on the same line, and from the back side of the wheel a pin, 12, projects for each letter, these pins varying in length with the width of the letters which they represent, the widest letters having the shortest pins, and vice versa. Now, the widest letter may be equal, say, to four teeth on the feed-rack, and the narrowest character to one tooth, so that the feed-steps should thus vary from one to four teeth, according to the character being printed. lVhen, therefore, the type-wheel is depressed, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and acertain type is thus brought down on the paper, the pin corresponding to this type will be brought into conj unctionwith the stoplink a of the feed-lever s, and if this type is, say, of the full width of four teeth, the pin will be of the shortest length, so as to allow the feedpawl to move back over four teeth, so that when the type-wheel again rises the feed-pawl will advance the. carriage the space of four teeth to make the correct feed suited for the type. If the type printed is of a less widthsay, from three to one tooth-then a pin of corresponding length will come in conjunction with the stop-link and allow the pawl to move only over three or one tooth, as the case may be, and therefore feed the carriage forward at the next step the space of from one to three teeth, according to the nature of the character; hence by this means a correct spacing of the printed letters is obtained.

\Vhen a longer space is desired between words or sentences, the knob 8 may be moved up and down one or more times by hand,which will cause'the feed-pawl to make one or more long movements, and thus feed the carriage forward to the proper extent for the space desired. It will therefore be now seen that the spring t,interposed between the rod 9 and the lever, will allow the latter movement to be performed without fully depressing the rod and type-wheel; and it also serves to render the connection between the rod and lever elastic,so that the link a will be forced against the variable pins 1; with a yielding pressure, and not with a positive pressure,which would be inoperative, as will be readily comprehended.

In Figs. 1 and 2 10 represents an adjustable stop-screw, against which the rod 9 strikes when the type-wheel is depressed to print the selected letter, and which screw limits this printing motion of the wheel and enables the impression to be made with more or less prcssure,according as the screw is adjusted up or down, as will be readily understood. The up motion of the rod 9 and its type-wheel, &c., is limited by the top of the bearing or guide f, (see Fig. 5,) against which the rod strikes. 7 I

It will be readily seen from the description already given in connection with Fig. 6 that the type-wheel is readily removable, and that type-wheels with characters of different styles may be provided and one changed for the other, as circumstances or tastes may require.

I do not of course limit myself to the precise construction of parts shown, as many variations thereof may be made without departing from the essential feature of the plan shown. Thus instead of having the twirlinghandle m at the axis or center of the typewheel, it may be on a separate axis geared to the typewheel. Instead of using the spring 0 to raise the lever g, a weight or counterbalance on the lever will serve the same purpose and be the equivalent thereof. Any other operative connection between the pawl q and the lever g besides the lever 8 may be used, and in lieu of the sliding stop-link a any equivalent bearing between the pawl q and the pins 1; may be used.

Such novel features as I may have shown but not claimed herein I reserve the right to claim in my subsequent application filed September 26, 1884, No. 144,0l4.

, Moreover, it is new to mount a rotary and reciprocating type wheel directly on a pivoted depressible lever arranged in line with or forming the axis of the wheel; and, furthermore, it is new to arrange the rotary and depawl-lever coupled with the type-wheel lever and carrying a pawl to engage the carriagerack.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a type-writer, the combination, with a sliding paper carriage and step bystep feeding mechanism for moving the same, of the rotary removable type-wheel h, having the types arranged on the periphery thereof in successive order with one of their edges in line and provided with feed-regulating pins or stops of variable length corresponding to the width of the types, said stops being integral with the type-wheel itself and operating in relation with the step-by-step feeding mechanism substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with a movable papercarriage adapted to move step by step, of a rotary and reciprocating type-wheel provided with the pins or stops of different lengths, and a reciprocating feed-pawl operated by the reciprocating movements of the type-wheel and engaging the carriage and limited in its movements by the said stops, whereby the feed impulses of the pawl are varied in proportion to the width of the types, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination, with the sliding papercarriage having the rack 73, of the depressible rod 9, rotary type-wheel h, having the pins 1), of different lengths, with the pawl-lever 8,01)- erated by the rod g, the pawl q, engaging the rack i, and a pawl-stop opera-ting in relation with the pins 12 substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the movable paper-carriage having a rack, i, of the rotary type-Wheel h, having the stop-pins o, of varying lengths, with the movable support g on which the wheel is mounted, a reciprocating feed-paw1 engaging the rack and moving in relation with the stoppins v, and operatively connected with the support 9, with a spring, t, in the connection between the support and pawl, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHAS. SPIRO.

Witnesses LoUIs SMADBEOK, CHAS. M. HIGGINS. 

